The Bear

[FrankTheTank]

Do not click on the link if you haven't finished season 3 yet, but what caught my attention is what I put below. I had not heard that before, but if we only get 4 seasons it makes some sense, you want the show to go out on top, with people wanting more then 7-8 seasons of the same old, same old.

I thought season 3 was really strong, and would welcome a FAK Brothers spinoff. That would be wonderful.

https://www.vulture.com/article/the-bea ... inale.html

We’ll have to wait until next season to find out, which could be The Bear’s last if rumors are to be believed. And while I don’t think season three of The Bear was its best, maybe it helps to think about it like that frozen pizza Chef Terry pulled out of Syd’s freezer: Even at its worst, The Bear is still pretty (bleep) good.

[Targaryen]

Just finished Episode 6 "Napkins", and I'm pretty certain Liza Colón-Zayas (Tina) just won her first Emmy with that performance. I think this episode is on par with last season's "Forks" (the Richie episode) with a character development arc that makes you feel some sort of emotional connection to the character by the end of the episode.

Ayo Edebiri's directorial debut.

Great job, kid.

[Targaryen]

One thing that definitely threw me off a little...

Spoiler

In Episode 8, when Sugar is trying to drive herself to the hospital through horrible traffic, you see that she's driving an $80K Porsche... uh, what?

I guess Pete must make a ton of money as a lawyer for United Airlines.

[3dender]

Just finished Episode 6 "Napkins", and I'm pretty certain Liza Colón-Zayas (Tina) just won her first Emmy with that performance. I think this episode is on par with last season's "Forks" (the Richie episode) with a character development arc that makes you feel some sort of emotional connection to the character by the end of the episode.

Ayo Edebiri's directorial debut.

Great job, kid.

Just watched this ep last night, it was fantastic...

I can see where some of the criticisms of this season are coming from as it could definitely be described as "aimless"... otoh I really like how it has executed its various character studies throughout the season so far (only through E7)... and there's still imo plenty of plot with the "Will she or won't she" Sydney arc.

[Ronnie Dobbs]

I would say that would be my criticism of this season. It is a good show, of course, but it has been kind of boring. It doesn't seem like it ended up going anywhere.

Also, I am getting to the point where I can't stand the two stupid brothers.

[bud white]

Don't really get Ronnie's criticism of the dialogue, it feels very authentic to me, maybe except when Sidney and Carm always keep talking over each other without ever actually communicating anything. That's pretty irritating. But overall the authenticity of the characters and their interactions is what sets this series apart. It's in Wire-tier for me in that aspect. Any elaboration on your complaint is welcome Ronnie.

Don't really know how to explain it. When the characters are talking and interacting regularly, I don't have a problem with it. When they're going back and forth really fast sometimes, whether it's joking around with each other or something, it just feels a bit too cutesy for me. It reminds me of Shia LeBeef in Transformers, just talking really fast. I don't know. Maybe I'm crazy.

I really do like the show, I should say. Not one of my favorites of all time or anything, but I think it's really good.

The dialogue in Fishes (AKA the Christmas episode) was extremely frenetic and at times pretty unsettling - you could feel the extreme tension during the dinner table scene right before Michael snapped. That said, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bob Odenkirk, and John Mulaney all nailed their guest appearances. One of the best ensemble television episodes I've ever seen.

I had read your post on this episode, but since the wife and I were watching the show for the first time, I elected not to fast forward and let the series progress. Fishes was the second episode we watched last night and it was everything you described and more. Troublesome, exhausting ... and I fully agree that is was one of the best episodes of a show I have ever seen. Jamie Lee Curtis just won an Emmy.

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Just posting this article that sums up some things that bug me about this show, stated much better than I could.

https://defector.com/the-bear-misses-wh ... ine-dining

[FrankTheTank]

Also, I am getting to the point where I can't stand the two stupid brothers.

I would watch a spin-off series with the two brothers (and all of their brothers/family) in it.

[FrankTheTank]

And there you go -

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Carol Burnett, Palm Royale
Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear
Hannah Einbeinder, Hacks
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Lionel Boyce, The Bear
Paul W. Downs, Hacks
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
Paul Rudd, Only Murders in the Building
Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building
Maya Rudolph, Loot
Jean Smart, Hacks
Kristen Wiig, Palm Royale

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Matt Berry, What We Do in the Shadows
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Reservation Dogs

Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Hacks
Only Murders in the Building
Palm Royale
Reservation Dogs
What We Do in the Shadows

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Olivia Colman, The Bear
Jamie Lee Curtis, The Bear
Kaitlin Olson, Hacks
Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Only Murders in the Building
Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Jon Bernthal, The Bear
Matthew Broderick, Only Murders in the Building
Ryan Gosling, Saturday Night Live
Christopher Lloyd, Hacks
Bob Odenkirk, The Bear
Will Poulter, The Bear

[3dender]

Just posting this article that sums up some things that bug me about this show, stated much better than I could.

https://defector.com/the-bear-misses-wh ... ine-dining

I could only read the first part of that article due to paywall, but I never thought the show "had a serious critique to make of the class dynamics involved in the world of fine dining."

So maybe that's why I really liked this season and love the show. I don't think it needs to be more than one of the best and most authentic character studies I've ever seen on TV, and in a fascinating setting taboot. Even my 14yo son (granted, a budding film geek like his old man) noticed how natural the dialogue is.

The season finale, like the premiere, was a masterclass. Fascinating, lovable (and in one instance, hateable) characters discussing restaurant life with real world chefs, all while building our two protagonists to distinct and potentially opposing decision points. Sure the cliffhanger is frustrating but I'm betting the S4 resolution will feel super earned as a result.

This has easily climbed into my top 10 shows of all time. Can't wait for S4.

[George Zipp]

Maybe Odenkirk will get a retroactive award for Better Call Saul. And did he ever win an Emmy on BB? I feel like he's been snubbed for two decades.

[Dicktar2023]

Some of the best actors in the history of TV are giving their all on this show. But it's season 3, and the writers are still doing flashback episodes and self-indulgent high-fives with real-life celebrity chefs.

Now there is talk that the 4th season might be the last. Sure. Please free White and Moss-Bachrach and Edebiri to do things with people more interested in telling stories than rubbing elbows with Top Chef alternates.

[FrankTheTank]

Maybe Odenkirk will get a retroactive award for Better Call Saul. And did he ever win an Emmy on BB? I feel like he's been snubbed for two decades.

It was a crime, but he was up against some truly great shows and actors/performances. Can we get Rhea Seehorn on The Bear too? Talk about someone who really got passed over numerous times.

Some of the best actors in the history of TV are giving their all on this show. But it's season 3, and the writers are still doing flashback episodes and self-indulgent high-fives with real-life celebrity chefs.
Now there is talk that the 4th season might be the last. Sure. Please free White and Moss-Bachrach and Edebiri to do things with people more interested in telling stories than rubbing elbows with Top Chef alternates.

Love your takes Dicktar (normally) but I am on the other side of the fence here. I think the flashbacks have been a big part of the storytelling, and why the characters are how they are today. I thought episode 1 was a masterclass on how you do a flashback episode. I could care less about the celebrity chefs and couldn't have picked them out of a lineup, but felt that they were there to provide realness to the show. Once again, everyone has their own opinion but I just think you are really being a bit hard on season 3, but to each their own man!

[Targaryen]

I thought the celeb chef thing this season was kinda cool... sort of blurs the lines as far as people and places in the real culinary world who also exist in this fictional world of Carmen's life.

Ever is a real Michelin-starred restaurant in Chicago (the real one only has two stars, not three), and the real restaurant was used for filming, but obviously "Chef Terry" is the fictional owner. And unlike the show, the real restaurant is still open for business. Nearly all of the restaurants Carmy worked at before the series pilot are real Michelin-starred restaurants in the real world.

Thomas Keller (owner of The French Laundry and Per Se in NYC) teaching Carmy how to wrap a chicken at the beginning of the finale is pretty cool. Supposedly the fictional David Fields character (Joel McHale) is loosely based on Keller, who also has a habit of hovering over his chefs and whispering in their ears.

Daniel Boulud of Daniel in NYC in the premiere was pretty cool.

Luca having an awkward conversation fanboying Grant Achatz of Alinea in Chicago was pretty funny. He's the spokesperson for Made In Cookware, a brand that can run you $130 for a single stainless steel pan and up to $400 for a stainless steel stock pot.

Some less famous real world people have also been a part of the show. The character Chi-Chi that you see in the first episode of the season dropping off micro radishes for Carm is not an actor - he's a sandwich shop owner. More specifically, he is Chris Zucchero, the owner of Mr. Beef in Chicago, the real Italian beef place the original restaurant is based on. The pilot was filmed in his actual restaurant, and then a replica was built on a sound stage for future episodes, though all of the outdoor scenes were shot in front of the real restaurant. Zucchero has been friends with show creator Chris Storer since they were in kindergarten together. The other taller guy who is his sidekick when they come to help Ebra run the window is Paul James, who owns a very popular deli in Los Angeles called Mr. Paulie's. And obviously everybody knows Fak is a Canadian celebrity chef and YouTuber in real life named Matty Matheson.

I loved Chef Terry mocking the wildly overrated and overpriced Nusret Gökçe's (AKA Salt Bae) weird salting technique in Sid's apartment.

[Targaryen]

Here we go...

Disclaimer: The video above is hosted on Youtube, and has not be reviewed by the staff of the Post-Dispatch.

This might be the only show on any streaming platform these days that releases on a very consistent schedule... S1 released in late June 2022, S2 in late June 2023, S3 in late June 2024, and S4 is coming in late June this year.

It's rare for any show outside of the Big Four linear networks to be released at pretty much the exact same time every year, but this one somehow does it. Meanwhile, I imagine we can look forward to S3 of The Last of Us to pop sometime in late 2027 or early 2028. Still waiting for new seasons of Stranger Things and Euphoria, which are now both more than three years since their last seasons were released in 2022.